November’s unseasonably balmy temps may be bad news for retailers who invested in chunky sweaters, but it’s giving us plenty of time to nail down our fall look. Usually, we’re guilty of resorting to all-black everything at some point—black sweater + black jeans = instant outfit!—and while that uniform is certainly timeless, you also run the risk of looking like every other New Yorker on the subway platform—not to mention the dampener it can put on your mood. “I’ve been trying to wear more color this season because I actually get so depressed when I wake up and it’s still dark when I leave for work,” Vogue.com Assistant Market Editor Anny Choi says. “Add a black wardrobe, and I actually might die of sadness!” Instead, Choi has been showing up to the office in ivory Citizens of Humanity corduroys and a camel leather jacket from The Row. “I always thought I needed a classic black moto jacket, but this one goes with everything and lightens my look,” she explains.

Camel and cream are just two examples of refreshing alternatives to black. Shades of gray are always a chic bet, and designers are even giving you the option to wear head-to-toe pastels: Try a buttercup jacket over a fuzzy turtleneck in the same color, or for a little extra dimension, wear two complementary hues, like powder blue and lilac. The key to pulling off those “summer colors” year-round is to mix up your textures: Throw on a ribbed wool sweater and silk slip; a shearling chubby and lace dress; or suede boots and a brushed-wool coat. “Subconsciously, I think lighter colors make me feel less tired than when I’m in drab black,” says Choi. Turns out a trip to the beach isn’t the only way to cure seasonal affective disorder.

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